FEAR NOT

LUKE 1:26-38

Fear has been a part of human existence since the fall of man into sin in (Gen 3:8-10). Everyone regardless of how brave we are, we are afraid of something. Some fear snakes, spiders, disease, pain, financial setback, old age, grey hair, rejection, disappointment, exposure, loneliness, failure, success, death, darkness etc. Even in the Bible, men were stalked by their fears:

1. Abraham lied about Sarah out of fear, not once but thrice (Gen 12:11-13)
2. Jacob displayed fear of Esau (Gen 32:6-8)
3. Moses feared Pharaoh (Exodus 2:14)
4. Moses feared rejection (Exodus 4:1)
5. The disciples feared the storm (Matt 8:24-26)

Nothing has changed! People are still caught in the grip of their fears. Even, many people fear the Christmas season, we fear not having enough money to meet people’s expectations, we worry over meals and invitations. Nowadays we seem to fear everything. The great Scottish preacher John MC Neil feared paralysis of his limbs, he would be seen pitching himself to check if he was paralyzed. Today, we have a word from Him, who is able to expel our fears and eliminate our worries. Three times God sent angelic messages connected with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Three times angels appeared, three times they spoke the words “FEAR NOT”

Let us observe:-

I.  DO NOT FEAR GOD’S PROVIDENCE (Luke 1:1:26)

• This is the “fear not” of human impossibility
• Providence is the care, guardianship and control exercised by a deity and divine direction. Providence is the overruling watchful care and involvement of God in the lives of His people.

The calmness of Mary’s life (V.26-27)

• When Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was probably about 14 or 15 years old.
• Probably Mary as a teenager girl was dreaming the same romantic dreams that girls have dreamed since the dawn of time, dreams of marriage, home and family.
• She was engaged to a man called Joseph.
• Mary had maintained her sexual and spiritual purity, she was close to God.
• A bright future was waiting for Mary, she had everything for which to live.

The challenge to Mary’s life (v. 28-37)

• When Gabriel made his announcement to Mary, her life is immediately turned upside down. She was called to bear shame, reproach and humiliation for the glory of God.
• Her’s is to be the greatest honor ever afforded to a woman, but at the same time it carried with it a tremendous social stigma
• When our lives do not go as planned, it is easy to fear the unknown.
• Often God will allow things to happen in life that are hard to bear and hard to understand.
• We are called to bear the cross (Matt 16:24)
• Our individual cross is that which stands between us and doing the will of God.

The consecration of Mary’s life (V. 38)

• Despite the shame that was sure to come her way and the humiliation she would bear, Mary was willing to submit her life to the will of God.
• Let us not fear the providential hand of God, He will never do us wrong.

II.  DO NOT FEAR GOD’S PLAN (Matt 1:18-25)

• The “fear not” of immediate obedience!!

The pain of Joseph’s life.

• Joseph like Mary, was on the way to having all that a Jewish man could have asked for in that day.
• He was about to be married to a pure, righteous Jewish girl.
• Everything was falling into place, then came news that shattered his life and brought all his dreams and hopes crashing down to the ground.
• Mary was pregnant and Joseph was not the father
• Joseph was left with two options, divorce her publicly and cause her death (Deut. 24) or divorce her quietly and have her sent away or banished.

The privilege of Joseph’s life (V.20-23)

• Angel Gabriel was sent by God to Joseph
• To be chosen by God to be the foster father of God’s own son is a great privilege.

The priorities of Joseph’s life.

• Joseph took the assignment offered to him by God, despite shame, ridicule and humiliation.
• Joseph immediately obeyed God.
• Do not fear God’s purposes (Rom 8:28, Rom 5:3-5, 2Cor 4:15-17)

III.  DO NOT FEAR GOD’S PRESENTATION (luke 2:8-20)

The “fear not” of salvation!

The burden of the shepherds.

• These men were the social outcasts of the day.
• They were vulgar, dirty, smelly and unkept.
• They were also, religious outcast, they were defiled and considered unfit to participate in the ceremonies of the temple.
• They were separated from both God and man. They were hopeless, rejected (Rom 3:23, Isa 59:2)

The blessedness of these shepherds (V.9-14)

• These outcast keepers of animals are the first to receive the news that the Lamb of God has been born.
• These shepherds were afraid – sinners are always afraid, when confronted with the reality of God.

The brilliance of theses shepherd’s lives (V. 15-20)

• The shepherds were changed forever.
• They become the first preachers of the gospels
• Some people fear the gospel but when they receive it they preach it fearlessly.

CONCLUSION

• In this Christmas season, there may be those things around you that you fear, but if you trust God, your fear will be blotted away.
• Mary, Joseph and the shepherds learned to trust the Lord whatever the cost.
• Three keys to happiness:

1. Fret not – He loves you (John 13:1)
2. Faint not – He holds you (Psalms 139:10)
3. Fear not – He keeps you (Psalms 121:5)

Bring your fears to Jesus Christ – NOW.